11-11-2023 (MANILA) In a dramatic encounter near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands on Friday (Nov 10), a Philippine Coast Guard rubber boat, en route to a grounded navy vessel, found itself pursued by three aggressive Chinese speed boats. The high-seas chase, a frequent occurrence in the disputed South China Sea, concluded when Philippine Navy inflatable speed boats, launched from the deteriorating BRP Sierra Madre, intercepted and blocked the approaching Chinese vessels.
The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era vessel deliberately grounded by the Philippine Navy in 1999, has been a longstanding flashpoint in the ongoing tensions between Manila and Beijing. Despite an international ruling dismissing China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, Beijing continues to assert territorial sovereignty over the region. The Chinese presence includes steel-hulled ships, speed boats patrolling the waters and reefs, and the militarization of artificial islands to strengthen its claims.
Under the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, criticisms of Chinese actions in the South China Sea have grown more pronounced. Resupply and rotation missions to the BRP Sierra Madre have become routine triggers for diplomatic disputes. Manila accuses Chinese vessels of obstructing Philippine boats delivering essential supplies, while Beijing insists that the Philippines is encroaching on its territorial sovereignty.
Second Thomas Shoal, approximately 200km from the western Philippine island of Palawan and over 1,000km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island, has become a focal point in this geopolitical tug-of-war.
On Friday, the Philippines accused the Chinese coast guard of engaging in “dangerous harassment” of Filipino boats near the reef, alleging incidents such as firing water cannons and blocking vessels. This comes on the heels of two recent collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels during resupply missions, with both nations trading blame.
Amidst growing international concern, the United States reiterated its commitment to its mutual defense pact with the Philippines. Washington emphasized that the pact extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of its Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea.
“The United States stands shoulder-to-shoulder with our Philippine ally in the face of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) repeated harassment in the South China Sea,” stated Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department.
As journalists observed the dilapidated state of the BRP Sierra Madre on Friday from a Philippine Coast Guard rubber boat, a US maritime patrol plane circled overhead. The Philippine Coast Guard identified a considerable Chinese presence, including five coast guard vessels, 28 “maritime militia” ships, and five navy vessels in the vicinity. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Philippines completed the resupply mission with three coast guard vessels escorting two small wooden supply boats chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Dramatic video via @tribunephl of Chinese speedboats harassing a Philippines vessel as it tries to make its way to resupply the WWII ship BRP Sierra Madre that serves as Manila’s outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal in a disputed region of the South China Sea. pic.twitter.com/izoUgmFKSg
— The China-Global South Project (@ChinaGSProject) November 10, 2023
